It is difficult to ignore the tragedies in nature – to do so would discredit our humanity, or at least our awareness of it. And when this exhibition of contemporary art on nature and humanity is displayed, its overarching theme quite naturally becomes very significant. At the Jose T. Joya Gallery of the University of the Philippines – Cebu, which ran from April 28 until May 10, 2023, five Cebuano artists chose to confront this theme. Their responses ranged from a celebration of nature to more subtle interpretations of the future outcomes should humanity refuse to pay heed to their impact on the environment.
Panumduman sa Umaabot (Memory of a Future) is certainly not the first time that artists have used as the launching pad for an exhibition on nature. There is a story to convey, however, that can only be told by the five artists who give us these visual representations.